The present invention relates to new and improved arrangements for the display, storage and use of flags, pennants and associated flag unfurlers.
In recent years, decorative banners and flags have grown in popularity. It is not uncommon to own several flags depicting various holidays, seasons and sporting events as well as national affiliation. Typically, however, flags and pennants are sold singularly, i.e., a single flag or pennant is packaged in a box perhaps along with a pole and suitable mounting hardware. The point-of-sale display of singular flag arrangements fails to take advantage of opportunities to sell multiple flag and pennant combinations.
Moreover, several disadvantages arise from owning and switching the flags as the particular events come and go throughout the season. Owning many flags leads to storage problems. Typically, the many flags and their associated hardware, e.g., flagpoles, are simple stored loosely or in a cardboard box in a garage or storage closet. Storage in this fashion leads to damage and excessive wear, and allows the flags to become dirty due to dust and other elements.
With conventional mounting arrangements, switching flags requires either having a separate pole on which each flag is mounted or going through the exercise of removing the flag from the pole and reattaching the new one. Typically, flags have thru-hole eyelets along one edge through which halyards or ropes are used to attach the flag to its pole. Other types have a sewn hem along one edge forming an elongated pocket through which the pole is passed to support the flag.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,250 (the xe2x80x9c""250 patentxe2x80x9d), a flag unfurler is described. The invention of the ""250 patent shows an unfurler arrangement whereby the flag is attached to a hollow tube. The flag pole is inserted through the hollow tube which is mounted for rotation about the flag pole. A retaining collar is used to support the unfurler along the longitudinal extent of the pole and to allow the unfurler to rotate about the pole.
Because of frequent flag switching throughout a season, it is desirable to have an arrangement whereby the unfurler/flag combination may be removed over the top of the pole and replaced with a new combination without the need to remove the pole from its mounting bracket or fixture and further without the need to remove and replace the friction washer and retaining collar of the unfurler apparatus.
The invention of the present application overcomes these problems and others.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved point-of-sale display arrangement that doubles as a convenient and effective storage container for a variety of flags and pennants, and an improved arrangement and method for quickly and easily switching flags and storing them when not in use.
In accordance with the present invention, point-of-sale display apparatus for a plurality of flag designs is provided. The display apparatus comprises a generally flat back panel having a bottom edge portion and an upper edge portion. A flag retaining means is fastened to the back panel and defines a plurality of loops sized to accommodate a rolled flag in each of the loops. The loops are preferably comprised of elastic material. The upper edge portion may be generally triangular shaped with the apex of the triangle defining a point from which the display apparatus can be hung. The display apparatus also includes a clear, plastic enclosure shaped to accommodate the display apparatus within the enclosure.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a quick release final attachable to the top of the flag pole is also provided. The quick release finial facilitates removal of one flag and flag unfurler combination from over the top of the flag pole and the mounting of a second flag and flag unfurler combination over the top of the flag pole.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a unique flag system arrangement is provided. The flag system includes a plurality of flag unfurlers for mounting a flag thereto, each unfurler comprising a tube rotatably mountable about a flag pole. Each of a plurality of flags are mounted to a respective one of the plurality of flag unfurlers. A flag pole is also provided with a collar positioned along the longitudinal extent of the pole for supporting the tube in position about the pole. A quick release finial is attachable to the top of the flag pole to facilitate the removal of one flag and flag unfurler combination from over the top of the flag pole and the mounting of a second flag and flag unfurler combination over the top of the flag pole.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the quick release finial defines an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the unfurler tube. The finial includes a plurality of spring loaded tabs hingedly attached at one end to the body of the finial near the final top. The tabs, when not compressed, form extensions to maintain a flag unfurler in place about the flag pole, but when compressed, lie close to the body of the finial allowing a flag unfurler to be alternately removed from or placed over the top of the flag pole.
Alternately, the flag pole and finial are threaded to releaseably engage one another.
An advantage of the present invention is that it can be used to display for sale a plurality of flag unfurlers and a variety of flag designs. Moreover, it can double as a convenient and effective storage container.
An advantage of this arrangement is that the flag and pole need not be removed from the mounting base in order to change the flag.
Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description.